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Hawks rearrest eThekwini official and wife in ongoing R430m Durban Solid Waste tender saga

The Jaguar F-Pace SUV three Durban businessmen are accused of purchasing for senior eThekwini official Sandile Ngcobo and his wife. The vehicle was seized by members of the Hawks and assets forfeiture unit in Durban in October last year.
The Jaguar F-Pace SUV three Durban businessmen are accused of purchasing for senior eThekwini official Sandile Ngcobo and his wife. The vehicle was seized by members of the Hawks and assets forfeiture unit in Durban in October last year.
Image: Orrin Singh

The deputy director of supply chain management (SCM) at the eThekwini municipality, Sandile Ngcobo, and his wife Vuyiswa, who previously held a position at the municipality, have been rearrested by the Hawks in the ongoing R430m Durban Solid Waste (DSW) tender saga.

The couple and two unidentified individuals, one of whom works at the municipality, were arrested on Wednesday following an investigation by members of the Hawks' National Clean Audit Task Team into fraud and corruption.

Hawks spokesperson Col Katlego Mogale said four people aged between 23 and 42 were arrested for alleged fraud and corruption amounting to R3.2m and related to the 2016 DSW tender.

“The sole director of Nhlanzi Catering and Events Pty (Ltd), an official of eThekwini municipality, the deputy head of SCM at eThekwini and his wife were arrested this morning following an investigation by the National Clean Audit Task Team into fraud and corruption within the eThekwini municipality’s Durban Solid Waste tender,” she said.

Mogale said investigations revealed there was a transaction into Kloppers Attorneys’ trust account from Nhlanzi’s account for R1m.

“Further investigation revealed Nhlanzi Catering and Events was awarded fraudulent tenders from the mayoral parlour and the deputy head of SCM approved the awards. It is reported the deputy head of SCM received a gratification of R100,000.”

The four suspects are expected to appear in the Durban specialised commercial crime court shortly.

Their arrests come a day before former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede and her 17 co-accused are expected back in court.

Gumede has been accused of using her political power as mayor to influence the tender process in the issuing of the 2016 DSW tender.

In February, three Durban businessmen appeared alongside Ncgobo and his wife, accused of bribing the couple to secure tenders with the municipality.

Mzwandile Dludla, Hlenga Sibisi and Freedom Blose allegedly purchased a Jaguar F-Pace SUV, valued at R1m, from CMH Jaguar Land Rover in Umhlanga on November 3 2017 for Ngcobo and his wife in exchange for tenders.

TimesLIVE

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